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Archive for July, 2012

The Modern Library listed Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov, as the fourth best novel of the twentieth century. It explores a romance between Humbert, our middle-aged narrator, and a possibly sexually precocious pre-teen named Dolores.

Thomas Jefferson once said, “A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life.” Artists and writers have long since agreed, using Paris as an inspiration point and gathering place (as demonstrated in Midnight in Paris).

Click here for books, movies, and music that focus on life in the City of Lights.

To call the Alabama Shakes a throwback band isn’t doing them justice, but there is a nostalgic, culturally deep feel to their female-fronted debut, Boys and Girls. Brittany Howard is the main vocal force over a combination of blues rock and Memphis soul. Simple, honest lyrics become epic and heart-twisting with Howard at the helm. It’s no wonder that the Alabama Shakes have gained the attention of NPR, Jack White, and major record labels in less than a year of hawking their EP on the indie circuit. If you’re looking for the perfect summer block party album, Boys and Girls is it.

You’ve got your grill ready. Your (legal) firecrackers are piled high. Your friends and family have brought the snacks. But where’s your Fourth of July music? Celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the American spirit with these patriotic songs.

As the finite supply of fresh water decreases, what can be done to ensure the existence of this crucial and irreplaceable resource? Scientists, scholars, and activists explore this dilemma in the book Last Call at the Oasis. A must-read for all who want to be part of the solution.

Jennifer Reese worked hard to be a suburban farmer. She learned to make her own bread, yogurt, ginger ale, mustard, and Cheez-It crackers, and she spent a lot of money experimenting. Now, she’s ready to tell you how you can do it – without the pain. Much of her book, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter, is about how you can save money with a do-it-yourself outlook, but the fun of the book is in the amusing accounts of her adventures. The chickens she bought nibbled up all the grass from her lawn, and the dwarf goats worked as a team to strip the leaves, branches, and bark off her trees. And the turkeys? Don’t even ask!